Chapter 28: Cuju

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The next day, Zhao Yu arrived at Zhao Ji’s Duanzhuang Mansion with Liang Shicheng, Tong Guan, Wang Bing, and over a dozen servants and guards.

Zhao Yu did not deliberately bring so many people—he had ordered Huang Jingchen to produce a batch of soap overnight to gift to the princes as promotion, hence the large entourage to carry the soap.

Under Gao Qiu’s guidance, Zhao Yu’s party entered the mansion and saw its pavilions and towers, painted lattices, beaded curtains, and embroidered doors—all breathtakingly beautiful.

Most striking was Zhao Ji’s garden.

The garden was filled not only with elegant, splendid flowers but also with fruit trees—peach, plum, pear, apricot—interspersed among the blooms, creating a dazzling, embroidered vista at a glance.

Within the garden stood a rock forest, its stones shaped like ghosts, immortals, Buddhas, flying birds, and running beasts.

Miraculously, mist curled gently around the rocks.

As they walked further in, Zhao Yu spotted an ancient-style pavilion.

Inside, fine tables and chairs were already set, adorned entirely with delicate porcelain.

Based on the original owner’s memories, Zhao Yu recognized the porcelain as Ru ware—superior pieces in pale celadon. One set, shaped like lotus petals and designed for warming wine, gleamed with luster, subtle yet profound in its quiet elegance—undoubtedly top-tier.

These expensive porcelain pieces were filled with dried jujubes, longan, lychee, olives, warm tangerines, golden oranges, chestnuts, hazelnuts, goose pears from Hebei, and pomegranates from He Shuo.

The wine in the lotus-petal warming pot was so fragrant it could scent three li even without wind.

Zhao Yu could not help exclaiming: “Zhao Ji truly knows how to enjoy life!”

Seeing Zhao Yu arrive, Zhao Bi, Zhao Ji, Zhao Shi, and Zhao Si all rose to greet him.

Zhao Ji said reproachfully: “We’ve been waiting for you a long time.”

Zhao Yu quickly apologized: “Someone in my household has developed a new soap—it removes dirt and also beautifies and nourishes the skin, leaving behind a pleasant fragrance. I prepared some for each of you, hence my delay.”

Zhao Si said: “I use soapnut and soap tree extracts for bathing, and they have the same effect.”

“There is no comparison,” Zhao Yu turned to Zhao Ji. “Brother, have someone bring water—I’ll demonstrate for you all.”

The princes were stunned—they had not expected Zhao Yu to take such serious interest in this simple soap.

Zhao Yu had already spoken; Zhao Ji could only order several basins of water brought.

Zhao Yu scooped up two handfuls of dirt, smeared his hands with it, and showed them to the princes, then began washing with the soap.

As Zhao Yu dipped his muddy hands into the water and gently rubbed the soap, fine, dense foam instantly enveloped his palms, and a rich fragrance spread through the air, lingering around their noses.

All the princes were drawn to the strange, alluring scent and leaned in to watch.

When Zhao Yu revealed his cleansed hands, the once filthy palms now gleamed clean and pale, faintly luminous as if meticulously tended.

Zhao Shi could not help exclaiming: “This soap has such miraculous effects?!”

Zhao Bi, though blind, had an exceptional sense of smell. He picked up a piece of soap, held it to his nose, and asked curiously: “How is this soap made? It smells so exquisite.”

“I don’t know the process,” Zhao Yu replied. “I only know they selected rare fragrances and natural oils, refined and blended through multiple steps.”

Zhao Si could no longer wait. “Let me try too.”

He imitated Zhao Yu—dirtying his hands and washing them with the soap.

When he finished, feeling the lingering fragrance and silky texture on his skin, he praised enthusiastically: “Truly extraordinary! Give me more of this soap—I’ll throw out my washing water as soon as I return.”

Zhao Yu smiled: “I’ll supply soap to all your households.”

Next, Zhao Yu, Zhao Bi, Zhao Shi, and Zhao Si began discussing the soap.

As they talked, they drifted off-topic and started chatting casually about everything under the sun.

Zhao Ji remained silent, quietly observing Zhao Yu.

To Zhao Ji, Zhao Yu was merely a bit more cheerful than before—otherwise, unchanged.

After a long while, Zhao Ji finally found an opening to ask: “Why did you marry two palace maids from the Empress Dowager’s court as your princesses? If this spreads, what face will our imperial family have?”

Zhao Yu did not publicly expose Zhao Ji’s jealousy but delivered the prepared explanation:

“The Empress Dowager, before me, mourned Prince Bao and Princess Shuhuai, gazing at her reflection, lamenting her loneliness and helplessness.”

“I was raised by the Empress Dowager—how could I let her suffer thus? So I voluntarily requested to marry a woman from the Xiang clan, to give her confidence and comfort.”

“But the Empress Dowager had previously decreed that the Xiang clan must not offer daughters for selection.”

“So I proposed marrying Zheng Yaban and Wang Yaban, whom the Empress Dowager treated as adopted daughters.”

“Though born of humble origins, these two Yabans are talented, humble, courteous, virtuous, and upright—they suit me perfectly. I see no shame in marrying them.”

As soon as Zhao Yu spoke, Zhao Ji’s face darkened.

The Empress Dowager had raised not only Zhao Yu, but also Zhao Ji and Zhao Si.

Zhao Si was only fourteen, newly come of age—everyone naturally showed him some leniency.

But Zhao Ji was different—he was a year older than Zhao Yu. If Zhao Yu could do it, why couldn’t he?

Yet everyone knew the truth: in Funing Palace, Zhao Ji had done nothing to save the Empress Dowager who raised him—he chose self-preservation.

Leaving aside other considerations, in filial piety alone, Zhao Ji had been thoroughly outshone by Zhao Yu.

Zhao Ji bluntly rebuked Zhao Yu: “How dare you speak of this? Offending Imperial Consort Liu is one thing—but how could you defy your elder brother? Our late father left us six brothers. We must never fight among ourselves and give others reason to laugh!”

Zhao Yu stood his ground: “If this were a private matter, would I dare act so boldly? The truth is, if Liu Xianfei becomes Empress, the Zhao dynasty’s realm and ancestral altars may fall into another family’s hands—I had no choice but to plead earnestly. Could I simply watch as my brothers allowed this venomous woman to grow powerful, giving her the chance to emulate Wu Zetian and make the world laugh at our Zhao family for having no men?”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ji, who knew Zhao Yu was not speaking without cause, fell silent.

Zhao Bi added: “Prince Shen’s words hold merit. Liu Xianfei’s recent lust for power is indeed alarming.”

Zhao Si agreed: “Indeed. The stability of our Zhao dynasty is paramount—we cannot allow this dangerous woman to become Empress.”

Zhao Shi defended Zhao Xu: “The logic is sound, but palace affairs are entangled. My elder brother’s desire to make Liu Xianfei Empress has its reasons. Prince Shen’s reaction was overly fierce and lacked tact.”

Zhao Yu’s gaze was sincere: “I was desperate then—only thinking I must not shame our ancestors or let my adoptive mother be humiliated. I failed to consider the proper method—I acted rashly. But I had not a single selfish motive. Your Majesty is wise—you must understand my original intent.”

The matter was hard to judge right or wrong, and involved Zhao Xu, Empress Dowager Xiang, and Liu Qingjing—the most honored and powerful figures in the Zhao Song dynasty. After a brief debate, Zhao Bi, unwilling to continue, changed the subject: “Let’s set this aside. Today’s cuju is for amusement—don’t let these troubles spoil your spirits.”

The princes all agreed.

So, except for Zhao Bi, the rest took to the field to play cuju.

But the outcome surprised Zhao Yu greatly.

He was utterly defeated.

He had once played on his university’s football team and helped them secure 18th place in the national college league—a respectable result.

Zhao Yu had assumed that though Zhao Ji was a cuju master, their skill gap spanned a thousand years—he might not win, but he wouldn’t lose badly.

Reality delivered Zhao Yu a sharp slap, shattering his blind confidence.

Zhao Ji’s ball control was supernatural—the cuju ball seemed alive beneath his feet, darting fluidly among the players. His movements were graceful, agile, each step carrying a rhythm of effortless elegance, making him impossible to anticipate.

Zhao Ji was aided by Gao Qiu and another handsome, bold, elegant young man.

The young man was Li Bangyan, who would later become one of Zhao Ji’s and Zhao Huan’s chancellors.

Li Bangyan loved conversing with jinshi candidates; every scholar from Hedong passing through the capital would detour to Huai Prefecture to visit him. If these scholars needed anything, his father, the silversmith Li Pu, would stop work, prepare it, and even fund their travel expenses when leaving Huai. Thus Li Bangyan’s reputation soared. Recently, through a friend’s recommendation, he entered the capital as a Taixuesheng. His exceptional cuju skills earned Zhao Ji’s admiration, and he frequently came to the Duanzhuang Mansion to play.

Gao Qiu and Li Bangyan flanked Zhao Ji like his two arms—one steady, one free-spirited—each perfectly timing passes to deliver the ball to Zhao Ji at crucial moments, creating ideal scoring chances.

Watching their seamless coordination, Zhao Yu sighed inwardly: “If only these three had been born a thousand years later, would Chinese football ever become a global joke?”

After the match, Zhao Yu realized his defeat stemmed not just from skill—he lacked their pure passion for cuju and the deep, hard-earned mutual understanding.

As for differences in rules between cuju and football, they were not the main reason for his loss.

After the game, Zhao Ji, thoroughly delighted, walked over to Zhao Yu and said: “Your cuju has merit, but the Way of cuju is not merely brute strength or speed—you still have much to improve.”

As for Zhao Shi and Zhao Si, who had merely stepped onto the field briefly before retreating, Zhao Ji didn’t even bother commenting—they were hopeless.

More pleasing to Zhao Ji was that Zhao Yu’s reckless, charging style confirmed he was a simple-minded brute.

Zhao Ji thought: “Prince Shen may have acted out of filial duty alone—there’s no deeper intent.”

Since Zhao Ji now felt Zhao Yu posed no threat, relations among the brothers grew noticeably more harmonious.

After the match, everyone washed their faces and hands with the soap.

Zhao Ji, using soap for the first time, praised it enthusiastically.

Li Bangyan added: “If this soap were sold at Fanlou, the courtesans would flock to it.”

He spoke without thought; Zhao Yu listened with intent.

Zhao Yu thought: “Of course—the famous courtesans of the brothels are the celebrities of this era. If they endorse my soap, how could sales fail?”

Zhao Yu glanced at Li Bangyan: “Truly Li Langzi—his mouth always turns to brothels.”

Then inspiration struck: “A dog can’t change its habit of eating shit; a cat can’t stop stealing fish. Perhaps while gaining points for myself, I can also reduce Zhao Ji’s—this rise and fall, what will he have left to compete with me?”

…

(End of Chapter)